GB TEAM SELECTION FOR SEDBERGH SCHOOL RIFLE SHOOTING CADETS

Two Sedbergh School pupils, George Bentley (S, L6) and Katherine Fleck (L, L6), have been selected to shoot for the UK Cadet Rifle Team in Jersey in August. The team will be shooting against the Channel Islands team. 

Selection was partly based on the pupils’ results at last year’s National Championships where George gained his first cap for Yorkshire, and they were invited to a selection competition at Bisley National Shooting Centre in Surrey at the end of March. Sixteen cadets from all over the UK were invited to shoot for three days. This included shooting at 300, 500 and 600 yards. 

Katherine Fleck, said: “In addition to shooting, we had to coach each other – when you help the shooter by adjusting his sights according to the wind. Twelve cadets were chosen at the end of the three days, George and I were both lucky enough to be selected.

We were shooting again at Bisley at the end of the Easter holidays, but this was school training. It’s really good that we have both been selected as we have both been shooting for four years. Mr Nuthall has been a brilliant coach and we would not have come anywhere near this without him.”

George Bentley, said: “At the end of the Summer Term, the School will compete at the National Schools’ Championship at Bisley where we will be hoping to win the Ashburton Shield – the National Schools’ Championship, 101 years after Sedbergh first won it in 1914. 

Katherine and George will compete at Blair Atholl in the Scottish long range and short range championships, in June and at the County of Lancaster Cadet Championships. Alongside these competitions they will be training hard using the schools Olympic-level electronic training systems. 

David Nuthall, Master in Charge of Rifle Shooting said: “I am delighted that George and Katherine’s hard work has paid off. They have been highly conscientious with their own shooting in addition to training novice shots in the younger years. With two full-bore seasons ahead of them whilst at school, they can look forward to opportunities for further successes.”

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